← You Can! Inspiring Women In Business
You Can! Inspiring Women In Business
Soulful Selling: Mastering Authentic Selling That Increases Your Sales.
00:22:30
Loading summary
Transcript1 lines
- [00:06]
A
Hello and welcome to the UCAN Podcast. I'm your host, Sarah Jolly Jarvis, and today we're going to be talking about how to increase your sales without selling your soul. Now, for those of you which have been in my world for any length of time, you will know how super passionate I am when it comes to sales and how upsetting I suppose it is that sales has such a bad rep and such a misunderstanding. I guess, you know, that it is kind of frustration for me in that, you know, bad sales is so, so obvious. And we've all had those opportunities, had those experiences of experiencing bad sales, but really when we start to think around it, the really good opportunities and the really good sales experiences we've had, we haven't even really noticed that we're being sold too, which in itself can feel quite manipulative and kind of feeds into the whole opinion people have over on sales, which is that, you know, you're manipulating people, you're pushing people into things, you're making people buy things, when in fact, actually the reality is that good sales, good sales techniques are about helping somebody to navigate the information they have and make a decision which is right for them and also right for the person who will be providing that offer that product, that opportunity to them. And that, guys, is what I want to be talking around today. We're going to be talking around the mindset, the way that we approach sales and how with a bit of tweaking of that, you can actually get a very, very different outcome, but also a very different relationship with sales. So we're going to start off with this kind of four areas here that I'm going to cover. The first one being that you aren't bothering people. Okay, So I regularly get, oh, you know, I feel like I'm bothering people. I don't really want to follow up because I don't want to be nagging. I don't want to put things out on social because I don't want to appear like that person who is always selling. And so what they do is that person who is bothered over looking like they are always selling actually never sells. That person who is worried about following up and bothering people, they don't bother following up. And so with that, they are time and time again losing those sales opportunities. If you saw this as some sort of filter system, you have massive, massive holes in that calendar. You have massive holes that those opportunities that, that water that those opportunities for sales are just dropping through because you're not doing this, so you're not catching those individuals. You're not putting stuff out enough on social media and being very, very clear on what you do. You're not then following up on people who are interested because you don't want to look like you are hounding them and like you are desperate. And so that there's just lost opportunity after lost opportunity which results in very few sales. And that is the situation that so many people find themselves in. And you know, I speak to individuals and they're saying, you know, I have, I've got a sales problem. And actually when I start to look at their business, what they have is a, is a promotion of themselves problem where they're not willing to put themselves out there and share what they do. And the thing is, you don't have to be super annoying with this. You don't have to be hounding people and sending people stuff they don't want. If you get your marketing right, if you're talking to the right people in the right way with the right language, then you're not hounding them, you're actually supporting them, you're helping them, okay, you have a solution, you have an opportunity, you have an outcome that those people want, okay, you are helping them solve that problem, get that outcome. There's nothing wrong with that. Like, they should be welcoming that opportunity. If they are not, then they aren't the right people and they're not the people that you want to be talking to. That isn't a criticism of them, but it's just that there's been a mismatch between who you're talking to and who you're actually talking to. And so that's feedback on your marketing, on, you know, what I need to, to talk to people, to different people or if you're finding yourself going, well, actually, these are my people, I know I can help them. Then you're not talking to them in the right way. You know, if you think around it like it would be like going into, you know, getting on a plane and going to China and expecting everybody to speak French, okay? The likelihood is is that very, very few people in China can speak French. And therefore they're not going to be able to understand what you're saying. They're not going to see. You can be telling them most amazing things. You could be pointing to the fact that, you know, in this box, I have a million pounds. All you have to do is unlock it and they can't understand you, so they're not going to do it. And that's the reality of when you're talking to people in A way when you're using language, when you're using information, when you're using messaging, that isn't resonating with them. The vast majority of people that I work with who have a course already set up and they're in a position where actually that course isn't generating them as much money as they would like. It's not generating them as much interest as they'd like. It's normally because that offer, that marketing message isn't right. They get that message right, they start talking to people in the correct way, describing it in the right way, describing the right outcome, and that's it. People are then really switched on. They know where it fits and they want it. That isn't about manipulating. It's not about selling people something that isn't real. It's about adjusting your messaging. That course, 99% of the time, probably actually not 99% of the time, probably 85 to 90% of the time is the same course. It's just the fact that you're positioning it differently. Okay, that's not mis selling it. That is describing the outcome in a different way. If you think about it right in front of me right now on my desk, I've got a phone, right? I could describe my phone as something that you use to ring people. Okay? It's like, who wants something that you can use to call people? Like a mobile telephone? Most people are going to be like, it's not actually really what I want because that functionality on my phone is actually one of the lesser used elements. I check my emails, I respond to emails, I go on Facebook, I go on Instagram, I go on LinkedIn, I go on all different platforms, I use all different apps. And at no point during that process am I actually using my phone as a phone. Because it's so much more than that. Now, if you sold the phone just as a phone, if you focused in on the phone features, you're probably going to miss out. You're probably not going to be able to attract the right people. And so that is all you are doing is you are altering your message to help them understand and to help them see how you can help. And then people, the vast majority of the time, if that is a problem for them, then they're going to see the value, they're going to understand, they're going to be switched on. You're not bothering them equally if they don't see the value, they're not the right people. And so it's about finding the right people. And that's the thing, guys, is it all around understanding who is it that I'm talking to? If I feel I'm bothering them, is that genuine, is that right? Or is that just my perspective on it? Am I coming to it with a particular cognitive bias, with a particular filter, with particular baggage? Or is it true that actually I am bothering this set of people, in which case I need to find my right people? But whatever way you look at it, you are not bothering the right people, okay? You are helping them solve a problem. You are informing them, you are guiding them. You are being the expert that you are. Which brings me onto my second point, which is confidence. Okay? You know your stuff, okay? You can help people, you can change people's lives. The vast majority of my clients, the outcomes that they can create for their clients are life changing, okay? And so they should feel confident, they should feel proud of themselves. They should. You should be sharing it. Okay? If you think around it, if you think about your ideal client as a one of your friends, as one of your best friends, for example, then you would be doing your best friend a disservice if you knew that something was available to them if their problem that they were currently experiencing could be solved. Okay? If you're giving them their lip service or the you know what, I'm just going to keep quiet and let them complain and be upset about this problem, then you would be doing them a disservice. Yeah, you would be withholding useful information from them. That is what you're doing with your ideal customer, with your business's best friend. If you don't share with them how you can help, okay? You are selling yourself short in that you're not sharing everything that you can bring to the party and you are obviously leaving them without a solution. And so don't be afraid to share and to feel confident in your own abilities if you are thinking, you know what, Sarah, But I don't feel very confident, actually, I don't think I'm very good. Then do get in touch with me, Sarah, at Ucan Online. We can chat around that, we can have a quick call because I am sure that actually we will very, very quickly be able to determine where you do fit within your market. And actually you will be able to see that actually you are providing value and you are pretty decent. I was saying to a presentation that I was doing this week that I've only ever come across two people, two people who I've said, you know what, we need to firm up your offering versus your competition. It's going to be tricky to navigate and to provide an outcome that people want without upskilling or looking at things, going at things from a different perspective than what you currently are, or using your skills in a different way. So if you are feeling like, you know what, I don't think I'm good enough. I don't think I bring enough to the party. I don't think that my ideal client will be willing to pay for what it is that I offer. Then don't. Don't continue to feed that mindset. Get help. I'm happy to, to have a quick chat with you. There's no cost involved to help you to overcome that and look beyond that and see if that's real. Or find somebody else who is a business mentor who resonates with you, who can help guide you through that process. The third point I want to make on this is money is everywhere. It's very, very easy to get desperate, particularly if you're in that position where you needed your business to make money yesterday or you are in a position where you haven't had a sale in months and you want that validation. You're desperate to find somebody who's like, yeah, you know what, I really see the value in what you do. But the money is everywhere. There are so many ways to make money. Minimum wage in the UK is 11 pounds an hour. Okay? The amount of people that when I've started to look through their business and how much they're actually charging clients versus how much they're delivering and how many hours they're spending have come below that. So, you know, you're not aspiring to those levels. Obviously you would like more from your business, but, you know, there is an opportunity to earn money everywhere. It is very easy to turn around the skills that you have to earn money when it comes to your ideal clients. They have a problem. They have a problem that they can only solve through providing money because they don't have that, you know, unless they're. That they're highly skilled and they have a skill that you want, the only thing they can do is provide you with money because there isn't that opportunity for a swap. Because your skills are so good, because they're so in demand in comparison to what they are able to offer you. And so, you know, thinking around it that way, you are a really, really good opportunity for them. They can compensate you for your time and your knowledge and your skills with money, but you can give them the outcome, the solution that they are looking for. You can go off and you can find Other people who have that same problem who will be willing to pay you money. So you're not. There's no need to be desperate around that individual because there are so many more individuals with that problem out there. You're not after world domination. You don't have a multinational business probably at this stage. If you do, then yeah, let's chat because that's a different conversation. And but you don't have a huge organization right now that you have to fund. It is probably yourself and maybe an admin or a VA who is helping you out. And so you don't have humongous overheads. You don't need world domination. You just need that consistent income. You just need a few clients per month. And so that is very, very achievable if you're taking the right action, if you're having conversations with people, if you're getting out there and marketing yourself, okay? The fourth thing that I want to put to kind of address when it comes to mindset over sales and over business in general is it's not your worth, okay? Your business demand doesn't reflect your worth, okay? If somebody rejects you, that isn't a rejection of you. Your business is such a small part of what you bring to this world, okay? Within that business, your actual deliverables, your little area of zone of genius is again small in comparison to the whole shebang that is your business. When you think about the finance and the marketing and the sales and everything else that you have to do. And so if you think about it, it's a teeny weeny section really of what makes you you. There is so much more to you than the skills that you deliver through your services or through your products. And so it is about, it's really important to remember that and to detach your self worth from feedback about your business. Feedback, rejection of your offers and things that you might put together. For individuals, the packages that you have, they are all separate from you. When somebody says, you know what? No, this isn't for me, they're not saying, no, you're not for me. They're not saying there's something wrong with you. Every purchase isn't a validation of your self worth, of your place in the world. Every purchase is indication of the demand for what it is for the skills that you are selling in the format you are selling them in, okay? And by detaching yourself, you can have a much, much healthier relationship with your sales, with feedback in your business. And you do need feedback in your business, okay? Even when it comes to the sales process. I would strongly recommend you record your sales calls so that you can look back on them. They may be so cringe and you may really struggle to make yourself do it. But the information that you can glean from the sales process from those recordings. You are so fortunate to be in a position where you can replay a sales call because you've done it on zoom. It is so. It is amazing. If I, when I started in sales, to have the opportunity would have been amazing. It would have been absolutely game changing in that process of learning. Instead you had people who come out with you. They'd sit in the room, they'd listen to you, they'd then pass judgment later. It was all very intense, it was all very stressful and I did not enjoy it. If I was able to record those calls, Although, as odd as it would have been to set up a camera inside of a room when it was one to one calls, then it would have helped me to better understand what went wrong, what went right, what I need to do, what I need to tweak for next time. And it is a constant process of improvement. Okay. And that's what I want you to be thinking around when it comes to sales is it's never a finished article. It's like a lot of things when it comes to business, there's always improvements that you can be made. When I used to go out with the sales guys, I had people who were like two, three years off retirement who would still get in the car and go, right. This is where I think I went wrong with that. This is what I think went well and this is what I'd do differently next time. They were like a machine. I wasn't sure sometimes whether they even needed me there because they were doing this analysis on their own. But having someone to feed into that and come up with suggestions they were actually really grateful for. And so try to embrace that feedback and that process of self assessing those sales calls. So as far as Mindset's concerned, that is kind of the approach. That is what I want you to think about when you're thinking about approaching sales as some sort of some top tips for this. It would be to have a brag file. Okay, you, everyone's going to have days where their confidence is a little bit lower. And so bolster that confidence by having a resource area. I mean, you should have that anyway digitally so that you can use it for your marketing. But what you know, what you want to be doing is going into a folder, an area, a resource where you can look at it and you can review it and you can think, yeah, you know what, I really, really do know my stuff. And that's what you're aiming at with that. So have that as a bit of a confidence boost, having affirmations and things that you tell yourself, say out loud, whatever works for you. I would encourage out loud to help you to remind yourself of how good you are, what it is that you do, the fact that you are serving people, you're not bothering people, your worth is separate, your business is a separate entity, etc. Etc. To really reiterate those things and what I would like to do is a sort of final point is to leave you with the idea of protecting your ip, so your intellectual property, the stuff that's going on in your brain, the goods that are in your brain. I did a presentation earlier this week to a group of individuals, business owners, lovely ladies and they, I was talking to them around protecting people and protecting your knowledge from people who want to pick your brain. And it is very, very easy when you are service based business for somebody to say, oh, can I buy you coffee? And just, can we chat through this? And actually in reality what you do is you do that and they take all that information, those years of nuggets of information that you have developed through trainings, through time in the saddle as it were, doing the thing that you do, doing your craft, and they'll pick your brains, they'll take those bits of information and they'll use those bits of information. And that is, you know, it's brain shoplifting. They are shoplifting those that knowledge, it's knowledge shoplifting from your brain. Okay? When think around it as if you had a friend and they had a shop and you just picked up a basket, wandered into the shop, picked up all the items that you wanted and then just walked out, basket and all. Okay, that would be shoplifting. Nobody would say, but you know what, I know this person and I just wanted a couple of bits from that individual. It wasn't like I took the whole shop. That is what's happening when somebody asks you, can I pick your brain? Can we just chat through this? They're using your expertise, they're using your skills, they are shoplifting your knowledge. And so don't be afraid to protect that, don't be afraid to stand up and say, you know what, actually this is something that I have clients who pay me for this information. I'm afraid I'm not able to go into that much detail on it. I can talk top level, but it's not something that I can give you business specific advice on. It isn't fair in all honesty, is it? It's not fair to your paying clients that they paid for it and this other person's getting it for free. And so, you know, yes, it is your business and it is yours to give away if you want to, but if that individual actually is an individual who is a close friend who would reciprocate that, then, you know, and you are feeling like. Actually, I feel like I'm being taken advantage of. I don't want to share this information. Then don't. Okay, so work on a go to phrase. So it might be the fact that. You know what, I'd love to talk this in more detail. Due to insurance, I need to have that to be officially a consultation and for you to be a paying client. And that may well be the best way to go. It might be the fact that you can say, you know what, I've got a course for this that normally either gets people going, oh, okay, what, you know, can you tell me more about that? Or it deters them from asking those questions or, you know, just saying, you know, look, I'm afraid this isn't the sort of detail I can go into outside of paid working with you because I've got clients who, you know, pay me for what you're asking for and a lot less. They may be one of. It's just examples, but have something at the ready to protect your knowledge, to ensure that you are paid what the value for the value that you are providing. And that's the important thing here is understand the value that you give and make sure that people are paying you for that value. And so if you don't take anything else away from today's podcast episode, then please do just take that one because it can make a real, real difference to you and the boundaries that you create for your potential clients. So that's it for me this week, guys. Thank you for joining me once again and I look forward to sharing with you another guest episode next week. In the meantime, if you do need help with your business, if you are starting a business. So you are. I'm an expert and I'm in a corporate environment at the moment or and I want to be in a position where I want to leave that and work for myself, then please do get in touch. I have specific courses and a lot of skill in this area. If nothing else, I can point in the right direction and help you avoid some of those pitfalls. Alternatively, if you're in a position where you are wanting to scale your business, make your business more sustainable and step away from trading your time for money and working more with individuals on a course basis then please please do also get in touch. My best way to contact me obviously you can find me on Facebook Sarah Jolly Jarvis I am the only one on there but in alternatives just drop me an email sarahcan online and I will be more than happy to have a chat with you, put you in the right direction and share my enthusiasm not just for sales but also for your business growth as a whole. So that's it for me guys this week. If you have enjoyed the show then please do review this episode please and the show itself. Please do follow and subscribe so that you can keep up to date with each episode as they land each week. So that's it for me guys this week. Have a great rest of your week. Bye for now.